


A Great Son and Wonderful Friend

by weedviant



Series: Requiem [3]
Category: Dear Evan Hansen - Pasek & Paul/Levenson
Genre: Connor cries, Crying, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Nail Painting, Self-Harm, Sibling Bonding, Zoe is a good sister, but don't worry it's not graphic, my boy, they're so pure, they're trying
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-26
Updated: 2018-10-26
Packaged: 2019-08-07 21:26:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 739
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16416254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/weedviant/pseuds/weedviant
Summary: It had been a while since Connor and Zoe had properly hung out. Years. Zoe couldn’t even remember the last time they had properly hung out. Not since they were kids, for sure. Maybe middle school.Now, Zoe was determined to hang out with her brother as often as possible.





	A Great Son and Wonderful Friend

**Author's Note:**

> this one isn't as long as the others but y'know
> 
> TW:   
> -mentions of self-harm  
> -mentions of suicide attempt
> 
> let me know if i should add anything

It had been a while since Connor and Zoe had properly hung out. Years. Zoe couldn’t even remember the last time they had properly hung out. Not since they were kids, for sure. Maybe middle school.

Now, Zoe was determined to hang out with her brother as often as possible. After his attempt, she was scared she’d never see him again, like he’d disappear and try again, even though he was under close watch. They’d taken his door out, he lost car privileges for a while, they got an app to track where he was--or where his phone was, rather--at all times, and he wasn’t allowed to use knives or scissors without being watched. Maybe some of it was over the top, sure, but Cynthia was very paranoid.

Zoe had started off small. The first day he was back, she asked if they could watch a movie. The two had eaten popcorn and watched  _ Tommy Boy _ in complete silence. As time went on, they did more things, and they started speaking more. Now, it had been a month since the attempt, and Connor’s first day back was the next day. The two were in Zoe’s room (they were allowed to close the door because he wasn’t alone, though even that took convincing), listening to music and painting their nails.

“Are you worried about going back tomorrow?” Zoe asked softly as she held Connor’s wrist, his hand laying across her’s as she coated fresh black polish over his nails. 

He shrugged slightly as he watched his nails go from dull and chipped to shiny and glossy. “I guess. I’m probably really fucking behind, and I’m dreading what people will say.” 

There was this hint of a quiver in his voice. He was scared. Not obviously, as he’d never openly show his vulnerability. But Zoe could tell. She squeezed his hand gently so that he would look up, and when their eyes met, she stared at him for a moment before speaking calmly.   
“I’ll beat them up if they say anything bad.”   
Connor paused, staring at her. “No, you won’t.”   
“I will.”   
“Zoe, you’d get knocked out in a second.”   
“I took kickboxing!”   
“Yeah, for a month before you quit to keep up with jazz-band!”   
Zoe paused, staring at Connor for a minute. He looked embarrassed all of the sudden, like it was shameful that he knew that. But Zoe was just stunned that he actually paid attention to her life.

“I didn’t realize you cared that much..”   
“...I don’t.”   
“Clearly you do.”   
Connor rolled his eyes, looking down at his hand as she finished the pinkie finger. “Yeah, I guess.”

Zoe smiled, almost dropping his hand before pausing. She seemed to glance at Connor for a moment, thinking, before she turned his hand over and looked at his wrist. He had gotten more comfortable wearing t-shirts and not covering up the scars that lined his wrists. But only really around Zoe. Zoe didn’t look at them like they were fresh the way Cynthia and Larry did. She didn’t act strange or uncomfortable just by seeing them, even if she felt that way, she refused to act in a way that made her brother feel upset or guilty or anything. 

“They’re healing really well,” she said gently. Connor stayed silent, just nodding a bit. She looked up at him, trying to meet his eyes, but he kept them down, his hair curtaining his face. “Hey,” she said in a soothing voice, and he looked up. “I’m really proud of you.”    
Connor said nothing, barely moved, barely shifted. And then he looked back down really quickly, his free hand lifting so he could rub at his eyes, moisture falling onto the heels of his palms.    
He was crying.

“Connor, I’m sorry, I-”

“Thank you.”   
Zoe seemed to fall silent at the slightly choked up words, a faint smile on her lips. She knows she should’ve told him that sooner. He needed to hear that and she realized she hadn’t said it until now.

Zoe suddenly leaned forward, wrapping her arms around Connor and pulling him into a hug, to which he gratefully leaned in, his body suddenly shaking as he sobbed. He clutched at the back of her shirt in a way that surely smudged his nails, but those were easy to fix. Relationships were not. She’d rather fix the relationship with her brother first.

Because he’s a wonderful friend.


End file.
